Awesome Foundation - Projects

North Minneapolis, MN – FLOW Northside Art Crawl

2018-06-01T00:00:00Z

AFC youth will educate young people on the progress of the local food system in North Minneapolis. Invite young people to join the movement of young people making change based on young people’s desired results. And invite them to airbrush a shirt then take a picture with them and the shirt to be posted to the Facebook page West Broadway collation and flow page to have spread the word of food justice work happening on the Northside.

New York City, NY – 21st CENTURY DEMOCRACY: A "How-To" Guide

2018-05-31T00:00:00Z

_Imagine a society where our collective intelligence is assisted by artificial intelligence to help make consensus-based decisions that protect minority rights, and have everyone leave the table with the feeling of being treated fairly. The opportunities generated by new technologies continue to change popular expectations and create opportunities for true participation in democracy—a vision of a fully accountable, collaborative, and effective government. Taiwan has been experimenting with future democracy for decades—at first just in academic circles, and now, after the 2014 Sunflower Movement (their “Occupy”), in a variety of open governance projects, across all sections of Taiwan society. One of their main methods is the award-winning vTaiwan open consultation process that brings Taiwan citizens and government together to craft country-wide digital legislation._ _Our project is to bring Audrey Tang, Taiwan’s Digital Minister and 3 members of the Public Digital Innovation and Service team (PDIS) team that trains facilitators to run the facilitator training class that Taiwanese public servants rate “99% effective”, to New York City on June 11 & 12. Together, we will train a cohort of 30 NYC government officials, community organizers and academics in the vTaiwan methods of facilitation and consensus building. This multi-day training event will also be an occasion to celebrate and share facilitation traditions from diverse fields including governance, law, urban planning, and further grow the community of practice around the vTaiwan process for crafting legislation, which includes simultaneous facilitation for in-person & remote stakeholder meetings, structured conversation, and math-assisted consensus building. We plan to film the entire training event and publish under a share-alike license, to be widely circulated._ AwesomeNYC is excited to support this project and specifically the efforts to record these sessions to help spread the vTaiwan process to more of the world. This training session will be held on June 11-12, 2018, and you can still apply to attend.

Milano (Inactive) – Angeli dei Navigli

2018-05-31T00:00:00Z

Angeli dei Navigli Inizio attività: luglio 2016 La nostra filosofia è fare bene per stare bene: l'abbiamo voluta chiamare "resilienza urbana" Mission: Mantenere puliti i navigli e farli vivere in maniera sana tramite eventi sportivi, culturali e aggregativi Storia: Ogni giorno coinvolgiamo i corsisti della scuola canoa in piccolo operazioni recuperando bottiglie, plastica, lattine che galleggiano sui navigli. Spesso siamo stati impegnati in operazioni di ripristino in seguito soprattutto a partite di calcio europei trasmesse con maxischermo in darsena o come con gli hooligan del Southampton In occasione di una partita di Coppa dell'Inter. Ultimamente siamo stati impegnati in tantissime operazioni sia sulla Martesana, sia sul Naviglio Pavese, sia sul Naviglio Grande, sia in darsena per estrarre ormai oltre 100 bici, soprattutto di bike sharing, in specialmodo le bici freefloat di ofo e mobike. Crediamo moltissimo nel bike sharing come risposta ai problemi di mobilità e anche di inquinamento nelle nostre città europee ed è anche per questo che vogliamo contrastare questo fenomeno di vandalizzazione. Modalità di intervento: Interveniamo sia grazie a speciali canoe di tipo Dragon Boat, prestateci dalla Canottieri San Cristoforo, sia calandoci dalle sponde dei navigli (spesso molto alte) o aiutandoci con lunghissimi ganci. Cerchiamo sempre di fare le nostre operazioni con il sottofondo musicale, grazie a speciali soundsystem waterproof, perché vogliamo fare del bene divertendoci e trasmettendo l'idea, a chi ci osserva, che possa essere divertente "fare del bene" Cerchiamo di coinvolgere i mass media, anche grazie alla nostra attività social, in maniera da "educare a fare la cosa giusta" i più giovani e grazie a queste attività abbiamo avuto il piacere e l'onore di essere invitati a parlare in alcune scuole milanesi.

Portland, OR – Handmade Stories

2018-05-31T00:00:00Z

In this fast-paced age of technology we lose touch with all the ways our hands can communicate. Things we can do with our hands: laying a foundation, growing food, touching another human… are rarely prioritized or valued. But our hands are full of stories and are longing to help us express ourselves and connect with each other. I have always loved drawing – as a way to slow down, see clearly, and start conversation; and so I propose: 30 trips across Portland to draw 30 sets of hands that tell 30 different stories. On a blank postcard I will draw each person’s hands in action. The back of each card will hold a unique question to prompt their story: What do you hope your hands will get to do one day? What have you fought for with your hands? What do only your hands know how to do? I will invite participants to write a response on the card and their mailing address on a separate sheet. In the end, all cards and addresses will get shuffled up so that every person receives the anonymous hands and short story of a fellow Portlander. But before these cards hit the mail, they will inspire 5 pop-up parties in parks in each quadrant of PDX. 30 original pieces of art will hang from ribbon strung between trees. People passing by will get to do more than just look. Using scans of the original drawings, I will create a collage graphic to produce a printed postcard. Everyone will be invited to pick a question and write their own story on the back of these cards – which will also go into the mailing mix. In Bellingham, I did a beta version of this project – resulting in the drawing samples attached. As I drew people’s hands we chatted and I learned wacky, sad, uplifting tales. This proposal continues the focus on hands as a source of connection but expands the participation across the city of Portland. This local project has the potential to get totally out of hand, launching a national experiment in which I travel across the country extending the web of handmade conversations

Disability – Bringing Inclusive Dance to St. Paul

2018-05-31T00:00:00Z

St. Paul and District Arts Foundation has recently recognized the need to further integrate their programming, in particular their dance programming. To do this, they approached Solidance Inclusive Recreation about running two workshops to bring integrated dance to the community in St. Paul. Integrated dance explores the creative possibilities of moving in a space that is friendly to all abilities. The two workshop are a a community workshop introducing the disability community and their friends and family to integrated dance and a workshop for instructors with the St. Paul and District Arts Foundation to introduce them to the basics of inclusive, accessible arts instruction. What our grantee is saying: "The grant will mean that we can take on a project that is near and dear to our hearts - exposing more people to the joys of inclusive dance. This would not happen without the support of the Awesome Disability Foundation." What our trustees are saying: "I voted for this project because I believe that the $1,000 in funding will be implemented to scale - meaning they can pull it off for the money and it is providing a direct series of experiences to multiple recipients in their community. I think it is an effective use of $1,000 to enhance the lives of people with disabilities."

Washington, DC – The Shape Up: The Barbershop Talk Series

2018-05-31T00:00:00Z

Starting With Today (SWT) has partnered with a local DC barber shop to host group counseling sessions and will seek to expand services over the coming months. The familiarity and comfort of barbershop as a community pillar serves as the gateway to strengthen the therapeutic services that organically take place there by providing structure and a licensed therapist to illuminate practical next steps. These group counseling sessions are and will continue to be moderated by a licensed therapist, take place 1-2 times a month, and will tentatively run through early December 2018. These mostly male-focused sessions at a barbershop are designed to collectively explore identity, emotional intelligence, identify and learn healthy coping strategies for stress, anxiety, and depression in an otherwise overlooked community. Each session has to potential to reach over 50 people, many of whom are being introduced to therapy for the first time. These sessions reduce the access gap by providing the service free to attendees at a location they already frequent with culturally competent and fun programming.

Leiden – Chair for a Day #2

2018-05-30T00:00:00Z

Chair for a day is een uitleensysteem van strandstoelen in één van de Leidse parken. Bijvoorbeeld het Singelpark. Het idee is om alle strandstoelen op te hangen aan een grote muur en deze als een geheel kunstwerk te laten fungeren. Elke strandstoel is eigenlijk een uniek onderdeel van een groter (beschilderd) kunstwerk. Dit zorgt ervoor dat gebruikers van de strandstoel deze na gebruik weer terughangen.

Tallahassee, FL (Inactive) – Sealey Elementary Accelerated Reader Club

2018-05-30T00:00:00Z

Young children who do not shift from learning to read to reading to learn will not become proficient readers. This shift requires interest, access to print resources, and motivation. Sealey Elementary School prepares students for independent learning by hosting an Accelerated Reader’s Club to support, motivate, and reward students that meet their reading goals. In the AR Club, teachers assign a reading level during the first two weeks of school and students may choose to read a variety of books within that level. At the end of each nine week period, 1st to 5th grade students that have scored the required number of "points" will get to participate in a chaperoned AR celebration. The Advanced Reader’s Club allows us to share student learning data in the most transparent format, and provide opportunities for staff and students to celebrate progress.

Adelaide – Prison Acting Classes

2018-05-29T00:00:00Z

'Rise Up' is a pilot program for an acting class at Mobilong Prison in Murray Bridge, South Australia. A 10-week trial has been approved by the prison which should begin in July 2018. The aims of this pilot are to work with prisoners to develop their artistic and creative potential through the provision of education and training in the performing arts which includes writing, reading, speaking, acting and performing in order to contribute to rehabilitation outcomes and prisoner health and well-being. Drama therapy is action oriented and therefore allows participants to act out negative behaviours safely and consider their harmful impact in a more concrete way than traditional treatment approaches, without consequences. Participants are urged not to rationalise or deny negative or unhealthy thoughts; rather, through the dramatic process, they are challenged to face their issues directly and truthfully. Through this program clients will have the opportunity to practice new skills, and to imagine and take on new roles, such as a sober self or a working self. In addition, techniques such as roleplay and improvisation offer clients a new perspective on their behaviours, choices, and relationships. Clients explore and develop their strengths through theatrical techniques that offer the distance necessary to process their actions without feeling overwhelmed.

Awesome Without Borders (Inactive) – IN STITCHES (a documentary)

2018-05-28T00:00:00Z

Our project is a 52-minute documentary. We need funding to complete the project and bring it to worldwide audiences. Synopsis: IN STITCHES follows three trailblazing South African comedians who are bringing their mother tongues to the stage. More than two decades after the fall of apartheid, 11 official languages thrive in South Africa. Despite this, English continues to dominate the comedy scene. Sixty percent of the population cannot understand a word. Vernacular comedians like Noko Moswete, Zicco Sithole, and Luphelo Kodwa are flipping the script. Addressing the long-ignored South African majority, these artists are decolonizing and democratizing comedy. Audiences are hooked. Vernac shows buzz with unparalleled energy, somewhere between a rock concert and a sermon. Never before have black South African audiences shared such powerful catharsis, led by magnetic comedians who look and sound like them. If laughter is the best medicine, these artists act as guerilla medics, using humor to tend to the untreated masses. Why it matters: Documentaries about Africa often center on the continent’s most tragic people confronting its most tragic challenges. These are important stories to tell, but the sheer number of these disheartening films is misleading and misrepresentative. We are not making that kind of movie. Though IN STITCHES addresses historical trauma and personal hardship, it is ultimately an uplifting tale about the power of comedy, focusing on characters with agency. In the age of Trump’s “shithole countries,” audiences need to hear stories that increase empathy and global awareness, narratives that encourage people to open their minds—and hearts—to new perspectives. Our film tackles this mission by celebrating laughter. What better conduit for human connection?

Boston, MA – Burn Your Money – The Right Way

2018-05-28T00:00:00Z

Who says money can't bring you happiness? It can. If you burn it right. By "Burning money" I don't mean taking a lighter to the bills. Rather, I mean giving it away in a way that generates light and warmth to those who receive it. Every act of kindness we perform or receive generates "human light" — emotional light that imparts a sense of brightness and warmth. I want to "burn" the $1000 and transform every dollar into human light. My Project: I propose to take the $1000 and hide it across Boston in 100 different locations. It could be between the pages of a popular book at the library. Tacked to the cork board of a cafe. Taped to the window of an MBTA train. Or tucked under the windshield wiper of a car that has just gotten a ticket. Each $10s would be folded into a brightly-colored paper note that would tell the finder what it is. Something like this: ~ "Lady Luck is smiling down on you! Take this $10 & use it however you like. Treat yourself to a sandwich, see a movie, or pay it forward to someone else! "Money is best if burned. — And we're burning it on you! "If you'd like, let us know how you used the money at: [project website / FB page] Or, just enjoy the cash! "Made possible by the Awesome Foundation." ~ Unexpected acts of kindness like this can cause a chain-reaction that resonates through communities. A recipient of kindness is more likely to pass that kindness along to others who they meet that day, Those people in turn will pass along kindness to the next person they meet. These 100 surprise $10 bills could start a conflagration of kindness in Boston. I don't expect Boston to be permanently changed for $1000 – not at all – but I hope it will be a slightly brighter, slightly warmer city to live in than it was before. With a smile, Daniel

Liverpool (Inactive) – The Underground Arts Society

2018-05-25T00:00:00Z

The Underground Arts Society is a weekly event taking place in the Jacaranda that will showcase a different art form every week. The aim is to pull artists from each corner of the industry together to share ideas, create new work and support one another. The event will showcase local talent in theatre, music, comedy, art, poetry, film and much more. By either working with local companies or by creating bespoke events ourselves we will curate a collection of events that celebrate the buzzing underground arts community in this city. We launched the event three weeks ago hosting a mixer and inviting local creatives to join us for an evening of live entertainment. We had artists selling their work, live poetry and music and some actors roaming the space in character. We have already scheduled three months worth of events including an all female open mic night called 'We Want Women' that celebrates and supports aspiring female performance artists of all ages and backgrounds. An art event called 'Sketchy' that brings together local fine artists who are all given the opportunity to sketch one another whilst networking and sharing ideas and advice. We're putting together our own comedy and poetry nights that will showcase raw talent and offer a platform to those who have never before had one. We have reached out to already established local companies like 'Impropriety', 'The Comedy Trust', 'The Rubbish Shakespeare Company', 'All Things Considered' and many more to bring in their expertise and put together a night of entertainment in their own style. Held in the basement of a nightclub, the two aims are to provide an evening of high quality artistic entertainment outside of traditional theatre venues; and to create a pool of diverse artists who, throughout the weeks, network and start those conversations about forming working relationships. All events are totally free and can be accessed by people of all ages from all backgrounds.

Utrecht – Summer School: Connecting Cultures

2018-05-25T00:00:00Z

De zomer! Vakantie! Heerlijke lange vrije weken van genieten. Kijk jij daar ook zo naar uit!? Helaas is dat niet voor iedereen het geval. Jongeren die in een asielzoekerscentrum wonen hebben in de zomervakantie weinig te doen. Een lang en lastige periode met grote kans op verveling. Daar gaat Summer School: Connecting Cultures verandering in brengen. Tijdens de zomervakantie biedt de Summer School twee weken lang verschillende activiteiten aan in samenwerking met creatieve organisaties in Utrecht. Denk aan een dj-workshop bij EKKO, het 3D printen van prachtige objecten bij de HKU en het geven van een workshop Afrikaans dansen of koken door de jongeren zelf. Maar ook zwem-, taal- en fietsles. Een laagdrempelige manier om elkaar te ontmoeten en elkaars cultuur te leren kennen. Creativiteit maakt nieuwsgierig, laat je innovatief denken en creëert zelfvertrouwen. Summer School: Connecting Cultures wil jonge vluchtelingen niet alleen de (toekomst)mogelijkheden voor hen in Utrecht laten zien, maar hen ook welkom heten, verbinden met de stad en haar inwoners, hun talent laten ontdekken en inspireren. Samen met (de hulp van) Utrechters. De nadruk ligt in deze twee weken daarom op ‘Connecting Cultures’: het in contact brengen van de nieuwste Utrechters met Utrechters. Voor een open, sociale en inclusieve stad. Tijdens de Summer School werken we toe naar een eindexpositie en -feest waar de jongeren laten zien wat ze hebben gecreëerd en geleerd. En waar alle Utrechters welkom zijn. Summer School: Connecting Cultures stimuleert de uitwisseling van ervaringen tussen Utrechters en nieuwe Utrechters en laat zien dat het niet moeilijk en heel leuk is om wat voor elkaar te betekenen!

Melbourne (Inactive) – ANIKA

2018-05-25T00:00:00Z

DINOSAUR! The OECD estimates that 4 billion people are unable to access justice globally. In Australia alone, 170,000 people are turned away from community legal centres every year. At the same time, law students are struggling to access the practical and tech training they need to succeed as lawyers in a competitive market. ANIKA is our solution to these 2 global problems. She is an online platform that connects law students with disadvantaged clients to provide them with FREE legal advice. ANIKA partners with law schools, offering students practical legal training. Clients submit the details of their case on ANIKA's web app. The matter is assigned to a student who, aided by ANIKA's artificial intelligence, drafts the advice. This is sent to our ANIKA lawyers who review, amend and send the advice directly to the client. Students gains real-world and tech experience and clients receive fast and free legal advice. In just over 2 months, we’ve secured a major university customer who has committed to implementing ANIKA into its curriculum, paying a fee per student enrolled in the unit, once ANIKA goes "live". 6 other universities have also expressed interest. We’ve developed partnerships with 4 legal-aid clinics who will refer suitable clients to ANIKA. Local councils and community centres have also said they're on board and willing to provide tech assistance to community members who want to use ANIKA. The necessary customers and networks are in place to really make a difference to the community with ANIKA, we just need the missing piece of the puzzle, the cash (read: catalyst) to develop our minimum viable product ("MVP"). With your AWESOME financial help, we can develop and iterate our MVP to create the best version of ANIKA. Once "live", ANIKA will be able to deliver legal advice in an unprecedented manner to those desperately in need and alleviate the overburdened legal-aid system in Victoria and in the future, worldwide. Now, that's AWESOME.

San Antonio, TX – Run SA Youth

2018-05-24T00:00:00Z

Run SA Youth is a non-profit youth organization that provides incentivized workout programs to kids in underserved parts of San Antonio. Our programs are free, accessible and currently based out of Kennedy Park (78226). The primarily running-based programs consist of 2-3x weekly meetups, free shoes for committed kids, and coaching mentorship. Although our year-round meetups only began last May, we have already held 5 programs lasting 6-14 weeks long. The premise for our meetups is simple; kids meet at a supervised location, participate in an all-levels/ ability-based workout and end with a fun game. Run SA Youth provides snacks/hydrations for each workout. Overall we have encouraged over 300 children in San Antonio to get active. In addition to our running programs, we sponsor our young athletes in various community events such as Alamo 13.1, SA Rock n Roll Kids Races, and more. To honor the community we serve, we have held two, free community youth running events and plan to make this an annual tradition. The primary fundraiser of Run SA Youth is the San Antonio 5k Summer Series, which is a set of four 5k races taking place at various SA trails. We want to provide access to individuals who may not otherwise participate in fitness events so they feel motivated to join us.

Yerevan – Երազանքի գյուղ

2018-05-24T00:00:00Z

Բարև Ձեզ: Ես Ստելլա Սարուխանյանն եմ: Ներկայացնում եմ << Երազանքի գյուղ >> նախագիծը: Ծրագիրը իրականացնում ենք 20 էնտուզիաստներով, առանց որևէ դրամաշնորհի, առայժմ սեփական միջոցներով: Ծրագիրը իրականացնում ենք Գեղարքունիքի մարզի Դրախտիկ գյուղում, որը ավելի շատ դժողք է հիշեցնում: Նպատակն է գյուղում անել ագրոհեղափոխություն և զարգացնել գյուղական տուրիզմը: Ձեր ծրագրի միջոցով կցանկանային ակտիվացնել դպրոցականներին: Ծառը գնում է Աստծո մոտ գանգատվում կացնից, Աստված ասում է. << Կոթը քեզնիցա >>: Այսօր ճիշտ կրթենք մեր սերունդներին, որ վաղը դժգոհելու առիթ չունենանք: Դպրոցն ունի 150 ից ավել աշակերտ: Ձեր աջակցությամբ կգնենք 150 պտղատու ծառ, կպատրաստենք անվանական ցուցանակներ, ծառերին անուններ կտանք, և ամեն ավարտող աշակերտ կհանձնի ծառը եկող առաջին դասարանցուն: Երեխան դպրոց գալով հենց առաջին տարում կհասկան , որ իրեն վստահեցին ծառ, նրա մեջ կարթնանա պատասխանատվությունն ու հպարտ կլինի և իրեն պատասխանատու կզգա: Ծառերը 4-րդ տարուց բերք կտան և դա կլինի նաև լրացուցիչ եկամտի աղբյուր դպրոցի համար: Ծրագիրը կլինի կապող քայլը մեր թիմին դպրոցի հետ, և մենք կփորձենք տարբեր ծրագրերով ակտիվ պահել երեխաներին և սովորեցնել գյուղում գումար վաստակել և չհեռանալ գյուղից դպրոցն ավարտելուց հետո: Կից ներկայացնում եմ Երազանքի գյուղի ֆբ էջի լինքը, որպեսզի ավելի լավ պատկերացում կազմեք մեր թիմի, նախագծի և գյուղի մասին: Կանխավ շնորհակալություն:

Yerevan – #MamaBalikRun

2018-05-24T00:00:00Z

Is there anything more awesome than kids? (we can’t compete with puppies) Yes! Kids with active and happy moms are the “awesomest”! For 2 years in a row we managed to mobilize and motivate some 100 moms with young kids to join the Yerevan half-marathon and the Spring Run as charity runners. Moms with children under 5 crossed the kids distance together. Why? Because: -not every woman with a little kid dare stay active and is ready to run “adult” distances (5k and more) -only kids above 5 can participate in runs -it is always a great idea to join the Charity Runners, even if your kid is just 3 months old In summer 2018 for the first time, we plan to organise a separate #MamaBalikRun to: -promote sports and active lifestyle among women with sleep-deprivation -form a community that believes that “motherhood is not an excuse” -fundraise for an amazing cause and promote social responsibility and kindness -encourage sports from early (very early age) -spread the positive vibes and infect more moms to join the active movement (because the diapers tend to leave our lives early, but the “social gap” remains) It’s no secret that a kid usually switches all the priorities in the family. Many mothers find it hard to find time for their own development and healthy lifestyle, dedicating all their energy to raise a healthy kid, very often juggling with work. But the easiest way to do that is actually to be a good example of a healthy and happy individual. And #MamaBaikRun is a perfect springboard to start with! In brief: WHAT: an awesome 1km running event with lots of smiles WHEN: Summer 2018 WHERE: a park in Yerevan WHO: 120-150 amazing moms with kids (and their supporters) with colourful balloons and great mood +everyone wins +all the proceeds from the registration fee goes to Nimba, a social enterprise +in addition to the main event, weekly “Mama Run&Talk” mini-events will be organised to help prepare for the run and create hipe

Cass Clay – Down Home non-profit

2018-05-24T00:00:00Z

Down Home serves people in Cass County, North Dakota, and Clay County, Minnesota, who are transitioning from homelessness into permanent housing. Down Home works with community agencies to identify families and individuals who qualify for Down Home's service. Once a family or individual is identified, Down Home works closely with the referral agency and the client in preparation and anticipation of the move in date. Down home gathers all the necessary items to transform an empty space into a home to embrace, well suited for family security, comfort, and time together. We complete each space with couches, beds, comforters, dining room table/chairs, lamps, shower curtains, bathroom accessories, rugs, end tables, dressers, etc. We provide the whole kit-and-caboodle. Down Home is determined to embrace and empower families and individuals to dream their dreams big and believe they can be. Each client creates a Pay It Forward Plan to be involved in the community and continue to make connections for success. Down Home is empowering lives one home at a time as we follow the family and provide additional resources and supports for a year following their move-in. We humbly invite The Awesome Foundation to join us in this mission. Please check out our videos under the Families tab from our Home Page to see how we transform an empty space into a welcoming home.

Tilburg (Inactive) – Tilburgse kermis rariteitenkabinet

2018-05-24T00:00:00Z

Enkele jaren geleden leerden wij op de kermis een mevrouw kennen. Ze was al jaren woonachtig in Belgie, maar van oorsprong een echte Tilburgse. We kwamen in gesprek en ze vertelde over de verzameling van haar moeder, een fervent kermisbezoeker en verzamelaar. Deze Tilburgse verzameling stond al jaren bij haar op zolder, maar het liefst zag ze de verzameling een plek krijgen in de stad waar hij hoort. Tilburg! Wij waren gelijk enthousiast en hebben op een regenachtige dag in het najaar de verzameling opgehaald. We gaan deze verzameling, eenmalig, 3 dagen schenken aan de Tilburgers. Dit gebeurt uiteraard op de Tilburgse kermis. Er komt een enorme installatie, op de route van de kermis, waarin alle voorwerpen ten toon gesteld worden, met de verhalen die erbij horen. Een soort van rariteitenkabinet zoals vroeger zo vaak te zien was op de Tilburgse Kermis. Een vrolijke wandeling, voor alle Tilburgers, door de Tilburgse geschiedenis!

Kingston – The Next Cast Youth Fishing Program

2018-05-23T00:00:00Z

Guiding the youth of today, for the community of tomorrow. The Next Cast Youth Fishing Program was launched with the focus of working with 10 to 13 year old children selected from the community. We're not only teaching them how to fish but how to explore and face new challenges, make new friends and to strengthen their confidence. • 20 local youth participants • 1.5 hour in-class sessions, once a week for 6-weeks • Sessions teach the fundamentals to the more advanced practices • 2 special guests will be invited to present on a specific topic • Hands on skill based exercises and casting practice will also be incorporated to keep participants entertained and focused • Take home fishing material will be provided over the 6 weeks • Fishing gear to keep upon completion At the end of the 6-week sessions, we have 10 local anglers who have volunteered to guide the participants in a full scale Bass Fishing Tournament which is followed by a lakeside Pizza party. This is the perfect opportunity to get hands on experience to apply their new knowledge and use their gear. I have been asked why I am doing this and why I am doing this for free, the purpose of this is to give back. The heart of the program and focus is on the under privileged youth in our community, for the most part they are unable to get out or have not had the opportunity to go fishing for various reasons. If the interest in learning how to fish is there, I want to provide the platform to teach them the skills and give them the tools. The Next Cast Youth Fishing Program was developed to teach and encourage young people to get out and enjoy this favored past time. Over the years there seems to be a drop in the next generation getting involved in fishing or the outdoors in general. The goal of this FREE program is to supply not only the knowledge but also the tools required to fish. Each participant receives the gear they will require to continue fishing upon completion of the program.

Awesome Without Borders (Inactive) – iFLY Youth Scholar's Program

2018-05-21T00:00:00Z

Our mission is to produce the next generation of lifelong travelers by exposing middle school girls to international travel, financial literacy, leadership development, cultural competency and character building. We seek to increase low income student participation in international travel and education experiences by eliminating the financial burden of travel and instilling confidence within each of our scholars. We envision a world where all girls regardless of background or circumstance feel empowered and have the opportunity to explore, unite and learn from others around the globe. This year we are piloting our program with E.L. Haynes Middle School in Washington D.C. to provide 11 of their students the opportunity to travel to La Fortuna Costa Rica this June. Through our weekly after school programming we teach our iFLY Scholars HOW to travel. Our girls won't just take a trip, they learn how to convert money, develop a savings plan and communicate across different cultures.

Pittsburgh, PA – Marshmallow

2018-05-21T00:00:00Z

Imagine a place where nothing is what it seems, where a coffee shop provides a secret portal to a whole other universe, where kids and curious grown ups are pioneers of the unknown and forgotten... Enter Marshmallow, a field guide for the modern marvel. Part Diary of a Wimpy Kid, part Highlights Magazine, and part window into the most magical Pittsburgh scavenger hunt you’ve ever experienced, Marshmallow is an independently published magazine for imaginative kids and adults alike. However, you won’t find this magazine next to those delicious celeb rags at the grocery store checkout. Instead, Marshmallow will be tucked away on coffee shop window sills, free libraries, playgrounds, and various locations around the city. Regardless of where you find it, this is one magazine that will always be free. Just what will you find once you discover it? Framed like the mysterious lost diary of a twelve-year-old Pittsburgher, the pages of Marshmallow are filled with Victorian-esque past-times like paper dolls, interviews spotlighting the wildest Pittsburghers (think worm farmers and puppet makers), and comics highlighting bits of our city’s unbelievable history. This isn’t a typical magazine... this is a serialized experiment, published quarterly. Growing in scope over time, Marshmallow will incorporate a range of physical and digital devices to create a completely unique storytelling adventure for anyone willing to try. But why Marshmallow? This is an exciting project that promotes literacy in unconventional ways. Its intention is to help our readers view this city with alternate eyeballs, all the while gaining a new skill or two along the way. Dreamed up and created by two playful educators, this magazine will engage and challenge its readers to explore the unexplored right in front of them. It’s awesome. It’s fun. It can be enjoyed with or without graham crackers and chocolate. See you soon!

Buffalo, NY (Inactive) – Sweet Buffalo Rocks at Oishei Children's Hospital

2018-05-17T00:00:00Z

I applied to win an Awesome Buffalo grant when I first started my project, Sweet Buffalo Rocks last year. I didn't have many people participating, but now I have 28,000 members in my group hiding painted rocks in Western New York, but the most important members are kids. We love to brighten the day of a sick or sad child in need and that's exactly what we do. Anytime a child finds a painted rock it puts a huge smile on their face, which brings me to my newest idea for a project! There is a beautiful winter garden at Oishei Children's Hospital. I would like to team up with members of Stone's Buddies, a program supporting families coping with chronic and life-threatening illness, to paint Sweet Buffalo Rocks and leave them in the garden for children and their families to find on a regular basis. I'd like to put a sign or plaque that says "Leave your Sweet Buffalo Rock here to brighten a child's day." That way if a child and their family member gets bored or lonely waiting in the hospital and wants to take a walk to the garden, they have something free and fun to do. The best part about my idea is members of Stone's Buddies are actually children who face illnesses every day, so if I teamed up with them to paint rocks, they would be helping other kids just like them.

Paris (Inactive) – Twen-D

2018-05-16T00:00:00Z

Twen-D propose un programme d’insertion et de réinsertion par l’entrepreneuriat dédié aux personnes dans la précarité monétaire ou sociale. Nous nous positionnons comme le chaînon manquant tout en amont de la chaîne d’insertion pour toucher un public qui ne se serait pas imaginé entrepreneur : personnes en centres d’hébergement d’urgence, bénéficiaires du RSA, sans-domicile fixe, anciens détenus... Nous ciblons à la fois des personnes qui rencontrent de fortes difficultés d’accès au salariat et des personnes dans la précarité qui rêvent de monter leur projet, mais qui n’ont pas les ressources nécessaires pour se lancer seules. Notre mission est de les accompagner vers la réalisation de soi et l’autonomie financière, grâce à un accompagnement global et sur-mesure. La bourse de l’Awesome Foundation Paris permettra de mener des actions de sensibilisation dans des centres de détention en Ile-de-France.

Chicago, IL – Sewing Literacy 101

2018-05-16T00:00:00Z

Books are wonderful, yet literacy is not only found through books. At the Alsip-Merrionette Park Public LIbrary we encourage, affirm and explore with our staff and patrons, the many pathways to lifelong learning. Hands-on exploration, especially with kids and families, leads to serendipitous results. Our many adventures have led us to the final frontier of sewing. Sewing skills, sewing quilts, sewing art, understanding construction and fabric building and the creative joy that accompanies a new medium and technique.are the goals. We hope to hold hands-on classes for children, children and parents, teens and adults and even circulate a machine or two. We hope to showcase the results of our talented kids in a mini-art show of textile hangings.

Orlando, FL – 2018 Orlando Urban Film Festival (OUFF)

2018-05-16T00:00:00Z

The Orlando Urban Film Festival (OUFF) is Orlando, Florida's African American film festival. We share the voice sharing the African American Experience in Florida market. Many students from schools and colleges don't have an opportunity to display their works in the mass market. We do not exclude any creative works from other cultures globally. The 5th annual Orlando Urban Film Festival (OUFF) is on Friday, May 25 and Saturday, May 26, 2018 at AMC Theatre Universal Studios City Walk. OUFF celebrates the works of Central Orlando’s African American filmmakers, as well as, a culturally diverse mix of independent filmmakers, producers, actors, artists, photographers and content creators from local, national and global markets. On Friday Opening Night we will host, Life and Death: Through Glaring Eyes, a series of independent documentary film screenings about African American History in the State of Florida. The films to be featured are Harry T. Moore:-Dr. Florence Alexander, Director. The Groveland Four, Keith Salkowski, Director, Producer/Writer and Executive Producer National Productions WUCF Central Florida PBS. The Arthur G. Dozier Reform School For Boys, Duane Fernandez, Director. Our Darkest Hour: The Trayvon Martin Story Anthony B. Major, Associate Professor, UCF Nicholson School of Communication and Media. A panel discussion will follow the screenings. Saturday, May 26 afternoon, OUFF, will honor and award the Young Directors and Writers. Late afternoon, we will honor and award Orlando's Independent film and music producers. The evening program, the Orlando Independent Filmmakers. They will screen and award 11 local film production teams. “After launching the OUFF idea, I was surprised to find so many creative people in Orlando, filmmakers, actors, writers, models, make-up artists with no venue to expose their personal works,” said Marianne Eggleston. Orlando is a huge tourism market. The people who work in most of the local area venues are very talented.

Awesome Without Borders (Inactive) – Making Queer History

2018-05-14T00:00:00Z

Making Queer History is a relatively new international project with team members in the United States and Canada. The objective of Making Queer History is to share the stories of the queer community and help educate people on the contributions made by queer people throughout history. While every article and podcast episode begins with the sharing of knowledge about queer people/events throughout history, most of them end by bringing it back to the now. Because we are working not only to teach people about our history but to bring that history into terms relevant to the present in a segment fondly referred to as “the moral of the story”. Whether we talk about intersectionality, the revolution in just being happy, or reacting to global events, we always work to make the history relevant to your day-to-day life. When we are not researching queer people who existed in our communities history, we are discussing the people who are making history right now. Every month we look at other queer creators and show you what they are doing so you can find more people to keep an eye out for. Our project is by, for, and about queer people.

Sydney – Inner West Beekeepers

2018-05-13T00:00:00Z

Beekeepers of the Inner West seeks to provide ways for people to learn and become involved in beekeeping in an urban environment. We believe that bees are important, both honey bees and native bees, and believe it's important for all people to understand how important they are and how to help sustain them in the urban environment, We provide both theoretical and practical sessions and events in how to look after honey bees and native stingless bees as well as how to use the products gained from a beehive. We promote safe and healthy bee and garden practices that aim to keep chemicals and foreign matter out of the environment.

Ottawa – Pop-up Pizza Potlucks

2018-05-13T00:00:00Z

May’s Awesome Ottawa award goes to Lyn Elliott to support pop-up pizza potlucks. “Nobody really likes a potluck,” says Lyn. “But everyone loves pizza. I want to host pop-up #PizzaOutside potlucks in support of the Parkdale Food Centre.” For just over a year,” she explains, “I’ve been throwing #PizzaOutside and #CoffeeOutside parties and getting to know all sorts of people. The pizza oven is a natural conversation starter, but I think it can be BIGGER. I'd like to use them as a social bridging tool – to help my neighbours meet each other while doing something fun and helping other neighbours.” “How will it work? 1. Follow us on Twitter or Instagram to find the next pop-up pizza potluck. 2. I’ll bring the pizza oven and the dough. You bring your favourite toppings. 3. Meet me at the pop-up location, and enjoy some pizza with your neighbours.” “The pizza’s free,” Lyn adds. But to pay it forward, you can become one of the Parkdale Food Centre's #100NeighboursStrong.” Most of the money from Awesome Ottawa will go toward a custom bike trailer to transport the pizza oven, as Lyn wants to take the potlucks where the people are – the Ottawa River Pathway, the Rideau Canal, and more. Follow her on Twitter or Instagram to find the next pop-up pizza potluck, or visit pizzabike.ca. Lyn is a developer of visitor experiences in Canada’s national parks. She has thrown self-described epic pizza parties wherever she has lived.

Philadelphia, PA – The Aspiring Young Artists Project

2018-05-11T00:00:00Z

Aspiring Young Artists (or AYA) Project is a new and quickly growing after-school program serving musically inclined students in Philadelphia high schools where funding for music programming is scarce. Now operating out of three High Schools in North Philadelphia (Kensington CAPA, Olney, and YouthBuild Philadelphia), our aim and our process are simple. Give students a platform to build their voice and share their stories through the process of songwriting, recording, and performing. Connect these young artists 1-on-1 to an experienced local artist mentor from the Philadelphia music scene. In our after-school program, students work with mentors for 8 weeks, as they write and record their own music, often for the first time. In the end, our goal is to build confidence, creativity, and community in students through our unique combination of mentoring, songwriting, and peer connection. Other things you should know about the AYA Project: 1. Students write their own music! This is not about students learning to play instruments or sing other people's songs (though both of these skills are wonderful). Rather, we believe that through songwriting, students can not only gain musical skills, but also come to understand the power and the value of their own voices. 2. We've done this before! Though we're not perfect, we've been running this program for 3 years and we know it works- we interview students after each year to see how we can improve. 3. To understand students' experiences a little more, check out the following quotes: “‘Before, I wasn’t really confident in like, how I was singing. I thought I sounded really bad, and I was too scared to sing in front of people. But now, I think if I keep singing and like, writing songs, I would get better. And I might become a singer.” -Nyjia (10th Grade student) “This program actually offers, to like actually be something that…not a superstar but basically in a process of becoming a superstar.” -Jesus (11th Grade Student)

Philadelphia, PA – Neighborhood Bike Works Summer Camp

2018-05-11T00:00:00Z

Neighborhood Bike Works (NBW) is an incredible nonprofit located in and primarily serving West Philly, which is an area full of amazing kids who are chronically underserved and deserve better. NBW inspires youth and strengthens Philadelphia communities by providing equitable access to bicycling and bike repair through education, recreation, leadership and career-building opportunities. Since 2002 one portion of NBW’s work has been to offer three two-week summer camp experiences for young people ages 8-14 years where they earn a bike, lock, and helmet. Campers not only earn a bike—which includes refurbishing it—and become expert riders, but in the process go on field trips, learn about good nutrition and healthy living, and see their city in a whole new way as they explore confidently with NBW’s staff, which includes youth that previously completed the same program. To attend NBW’s summer camp many young people rely on scholarships. The majority of kids served by NBW are eligible for free or reduced price school lunch and come from communities that are considered distressed, meaning zip codes where there is high unemployment, low economic growth, high poverty, and low high school graduation rates. It is especially important for these kids to have access to a learning opportunity combined with a fun and safe environment during the summer months. Once kids have completed the Earn-A-Bike curriculum (part of summer camp) they are poised to participate in NBW’s continuum of programming: Youth Bike Education & Empowerment Program (YBEEP). YBEEP is unique in Philadelphia, because it engages under-resourced youth through bicycle mechanics, advocacy, and riding skills to encourage long-term healthy development. In addition to the summer camp, YBEEP offers riding clubs, advanced mechanics classes, leadership training, and job opportunities. A grant from the Awesome Foundation of Philadelphia could be the beginning of years of enrichment for great kids.

San Jose, CA – Face of Hunger Exhibit

2018-05-11T00:00:00Z

The proposed 2018 federal budget includes a 30% cut in Calfresh (food stamps) benefits, and other social services, which will greatly impact the most vulnerable denizens of San Jose. Given this policy shift and drastically changing political climate, Second Harvest Food Bank is in need of an artistic profile series of those experiencing food insecurity, in order to highlight the diverse needs of our community. I hope to capture, through photojournalism, five experiences of people struggling to meet their basic needs in our community. For example, the first participant is an asylum seeker from Yemen, who has recently started over in San Jose. I plan on having a meal with participants, utilizing a professional photograph (my sister) to photograph them at relevant sites around San Jose, and capturing their personal stories through a written profile. In order to reach a diverse population, we will outreach to the social services agency, attend community dinners and college food distributions in high need locations, and coordinate with Second Harvest Food Bank and other outreach groups. Second Harvest Food Bank will utilize the exhibit in order to build community and civic engagement among groups currently not engaged; the unveiling will be in November 2018. Content Magazine has agreed to publish the exhibit in their October 2018 issue. Lastly, we are approaching the City of San Jose to host the exhibit at City Hall.Thank you for your consideration.

Minas Gerais (Inactive) – Escola de Arte e Ofícios Nise da Silveira - ENISI

2018-05-10T00:00:00Z

A Escola de Arte e Ofícios Nise da Silveira (ENISI) surge da necessidade de organizar e sistematizar em um único espaço todas as atividades artísticas e culturais desenvolvidas pela AUSM. E proporcionar ao público assistido a infraestrutura (ateliês, materiais e profissionais) necessária para atividades permanentes e temporárias (de curto, médio e longo prazo). A arte é uma importante ferramenta de expressão da subjetividade e um remédio no tratamento de problemas psico-sociais e inserção social. A inspiração para tal iniciativa vem dos esforços e exemplos da médica psiquiatra Nise da Silveira (1905-1999), pioneira no tratamento de sofrimentos mentais através da arte e cultura. Por intermédio da escola formataremos atividades oficinas e cursos, permanentemente avaliados, para atender as demandas do público-alvo. Um espaço privilegiado, laboratório cultural para a produção de sonhos, ofícios e trabalho.

San Francisco, CA – The Art of Survival

2018-05-10T00:00:00Z

My project is organizing a pop up art show called Art of Survival to showcase art related to sexual assault + consent. In the spirit of the #metoo campaign, we stand as a community in solidarity with survivors of sexual assault, harassment, and violence. All of the proceeds from the event will be donated to Bay Area organizations. Our last event supported SFWAR + Casa de las Madres and our next one, on August 4th, will go to Huckleberry House. A group of artists, scientists, and activists in San Francisco are the event organizers. On August 4th, Minna Gallery will host our show. We will be displaying works from artists with a focus on showcasing those from the Bay Area with themes connected to our work. Artists will each donate a few pieces to be displayed at the show, to be part of a silent auction where anyone attending can bid on them as they enjoy the show. There will be light snacks + refreshments provided, and alcoholic beverages for sale. We will also have guest speakers from the organizations. This is the second installment of Art of Survival - the first one was in December, and we raised over $5000 for anti-rape organizations in the area! We want to top that with this event!

San Francisco, CA – Aaron Swartz Day VR Museum, Art Gallery, Fun House

2018-05-10T00:00:00Z

The Swartz-Manning's first exhibit (included in this document) will provide a detailed history of Aaron Swartz Day, including the story of how Lisa Rein and the Aaron Swartz Day community provided friendship and support to Chelsea Manning, before she was released from military prison, in May 2017. The second set of exhibits, displayed in their own "Leary Wing" of the museum, will eventually provide a complete timeline of Dr. Timothy Leary's life, starting with his birth in 1920. For these exhibits, we are collaborating directly with his son, Zach Leary and his Personal Archivist, Michael Horowitz. This exhibit also has an AI "Timbot" that converses with the user to help explain the content unfolding around them :-) The Swartz-Manning VR Museum, Art Gallery, and Fun House will include four different types of installations: 1) "Traditional" museum exhibits (essentially, artifacts presented on walls and displays). 2) A "Fun House" that blends the traditional museum's content within additional media to create an ever-expanding learning game environment, where you can share your learning "trip" with others as a "flashback." 3) A largely experimental Art Gallery platform, with full scale installations by both established & up and coming artists, whose unique virtual reality creations might lead to their mainstream discovery. 4) Educational areas that explain will explain and teach how the museum itself was built, step-by-step. (Complete with CAD templates to enable artists to exhibit their own creations in VR.) 5) How to create real world "solar survival" technologies, such as building solar power cell phone chargers - or a freshly-invented "Vampire Charger," that actually enables a cell phone to be charged safely from whatever random batteries happen to be lying around after a disaster, while protecting the phone from blowing up from a sudden power burst - for use by the homeless or after a natural disaster. All compatible w/ Oculus, HTC Vive, G.Cardboard

Seattle, WA – On My Head. In My Heart

2018-05-09T00:00:00Z

I am working on a series of portraits of people from diverse backgrounds based on interviews conducted with the subjects about what items or garments they wear on their heads and what this means to them. Whether they wear a headscarf or a baseball cap, a wig or a yarmulke, my subjects will help me to celebrate cultural diversity through a lively art installation featuring painted portraits and written and recorded interviews. My past artistic practice has been divided between my painted work of vulnerable botanical and zoological environments and my work with vulnerable human populations in the Middle East where I teach art in refugee camps. My goal for “On My Head. In My Heart” is to combine these two practices. My inspiration for this project is the current political tension around diversity, immigration and cultural expression. After September 1, 2001 people who were Muslim – or appeared to be Muslim – in the United States were targeted because of their appearance. Many who were not Muslim but were misunderstood to be so because they wore turbans or beards were also targeted and some lost their lives. I believe such bigotry stems from ignorance and my project aims to enlighten viewers as to the subtleties, joys and richness of sartorial expression. The project is joyful rather than preachy. It is a celebration. One could even call it a hat party and indeed the opening party will be a gathering of the subjects in the portraits wearing their head gear. What a festival of fun and diversity at a time when such a thing is needed!

Seattle, WA – Tail Feather

2018-05-09T00:00:00Z

"Tail Feather "is a burlesque ballet examining the cause and effects of toxic masculinity in black communities through the courting, mating, and family dynamics of birds.In the animal kingdom the male birds usually have brighter colored feathers, or other cosmetic attributes compared to their female counterparts. The male birds are the dancers, the singers, and the designers, and they do it all for the attention of their potential mate or to protect their families. "Tail Feather" will be a full length new work of burlesque theatre and dance. It is written and conceptualized by Earth Pearl Collective’s Artistic Director Sadiqua Iman who will also be directing it. We will be premiering this project at Langston Hughes Performing Arts Center June 2018. We believe that artists of color often are only seen doing original work in small fringe theatres, but deserve to be seen on larger stages more often. Increased visibility of artists of color doing dynamic work defies the long standing belief that they are not represented in Seattle. Burlesque and queerness are often taboo in many communities of color, so Earth Pearl Collective strives to bring forth universal themes and historical relevance to both the communities Burlesque is still being rediscovered by many, and to some it still seems like a low brow form of art. “Tail Feather” is an opportunity to change that narrative by blending the story line and composition of a classical ballet with the seductiveness and social commentary of neo-burlesque. Earth Pearl Collective (EPC) is creating a very intentional cross-cultural, multi-disciplinary production that will bring unlikely communities together. One of the biggest questions in the theatre community right now is how to build equity and diversity. “Tail Feather” is a direct response to this. It is a collaboration of a grassroots organization, a historically black institution, and world renowned artists of color not only on stage but behind the scenes.

Singapore – Translating Pretty Butch

2018-05-08T00:00:00Z

Pretty Butch is a play about masculinity and issues of the body, exploring the impact of society’s accepted notions of gender upon its people. Translating Pretty Butch aims to bring the Singaporean characters in the play to an international audience. First performed as an M1 Fringe Festival 2017 commission, we hope to further develop the work by looking at its universal themes within different cultural contexts, languages and artistic mediums. For this year’s project, Pretty Butch has been translated into Mandarin and will be presented as a dramatized reading at the Taipei Arts Festival as part of Producer Selects, a programme of the festival focusing on overseas work. The reading will be staged at Taipei Zhongshan Hall on 11th - 12th August 2018. For this dramatized reading, Liting will be working with 6 local Taiwanese actors. Liting has also invited Berlin-based Singaporean photographer Charmaine Poh to respond to the text by shooting a documentary photo series which looks at the way gender is performed in Taiwan. By photographing faces, gestures, and moments displayed by those who self-identify as butch, the work will consider those who find a place outside the traditional gender binary of feminine or masculine, by looking at the particularity of masculine femininity. The series considers itself an anthropological study of this people group living in the specific context of Taiwan, where ideas surrounding gender norms are considered to be one of the most progressive in Asia. The photographs will be incorporated in the staging of the reading in an effort to compare and contrast these Singaporean characters with the Taiwanese context in the photographs. It is our hope that the work begins a conversation between Singapore and Taiwan about the body and its relationship with masculinity and femininity, and broadens perspectives on gender and identity in the Singaporean context. Photo by Chris Yap

Austin, TX – Austin Abortion Access Hackathon

2018-05-07T00:00:00Z

Texan abortion providers are constantly under threat— legislatively, physically and are talked about like they are social pariahs. At the same time, nearly 1 in 4 (cis)women have an abortion in their lifetime. Politicians do not center their needs. Society is ambivalent. Tech has addressed problems like getting cookies immediately at 3 am or getting a ride anywhere, at any time. But, tech has largely ignored the barriers to abortion access. When a person searches for abortion in google, fake anti-abortion clinics pop up. When a person searches for abortion information, the digital landscape is littered with misinformation. Clinics don't have the resources to combat this misinformation. Here's where we come in! The Abortion Access Hackathon has hosted three previous Hackathons across the country, and in June 2018, we're coming to Austin! We do a needs assessment with local abortion clinics to find out what they could use help with. A new website? A program to streamline their volunteer vetting? We welcome software engineers, data scientists, designers, communications and branding experts. Tech experts are partnered with a clinic to work together to create solutions that improve the ability for clinics to do their work. In most hackathons, the participants are 80% male. Our participants are 80% female. We center the client. We teach the participants about the intersectional barriers of race, economic challenges, language and ability. We talk about the value of teen pregnancy, queer parenting, adoption and abortion. We create space for feminist activism in tech, exporting these values back to the heavily male dominated industry.

Awesome Without Borders (Inactive) – The Hometown Project

2018-05-07T00:00:00Z

The Hometown Project encourages cultural leaders from all walks of life to return to their hometowns to bring attention to the importance of civic engagement & to raise awareness surrounding issues important to their community. THP brings people of recognition (we call them Energizers) back to their hometowns to get out the vote during local elections for school boards, city council, local mayoral races and more. This level of engagement in front of an expanded audience, can really make a difference in non-presidential election years where voter turnout is low and incongruous with the larger voter population in the area. This dynamic forum will enable constituents to learn about and better understand candidates & their platforms and is a means to build an informed educated electorate for the 2018 midterm elections & beyond. THE NEED Across the United States, statehouses, school boards, and city councils have seen a massive influx in money and false advertising from SuperPACs, funded from outside of their own communities and often fueled with an anti-democratic, national agenda. Due to gerrymandering, redistricting, and other voter suppression initiatives, rural & suburban areas of this country have been besieged by these forces. The result has been that local voices across the political spectrum, regardless of party affiliation, have been drowned out & thus need an elevated platform to amplify their local needs, goals & priorities. THP seeks to bring positive energy to the local arena by strategically working with community leaders & enhancing their reach by introducing them to figures we call “Energizers” to support voter engagement & initiatives. Now more than ever before, we must find innovative ways to educate and empower visionary and progressive individuals to be active citizens and voters in their communities. THP aims to distribute their energy and passion across the nation,sparking change in towns, cities &school districts across the nation

Ann Arbor, MI – SoulSeed Kitchen Connection

2018-05-07T00:00:00Z

SoulSeed is a mobile kitchen classroom dedicated to promoting community health through interactive plant-based nutrition education and mindful communication practice. To promote healthy food access in urban areas designated as "food deserts," workshops are offered at little or no cost for groups of all ages. Though not exclusive, SoulSeed is intentional about working directly with communities of color, LGBTQ groups, elders, and youth whose health is at risk due to limited resources. Based on the needs and interests of the audience, facilitated discussion topics may include "Making Peace with Food: A Holistic Approach to Eating Disorders," "Healthy Body Image," "Black, Red, and Green: Vegans of Color Represent!" and "Table Talk: Creating Meaningful Connections over Meals."

Vegan (Inactive) – Shrub Life

2018-05-07T00:00:00Z

Shrub life is a start up vegan food company based in Taos, NM. Started by culinary duo and proud parents of three Noah and Brittany Pettus. Shrub Life is a fun new project highlighting the benefits of veganism to kids, families and youth across our community. Launching this spring at Taos Farmer's Market. Shrub Life will be debuting its fresh line of plant-based alternatives. Including our "Quinoa Burg", "Beetroot Brat" and vegan "Chik'n Wafflewich". All foods are crafted with intention using only quality grown and produced plants, grains and vegetables from organic and local sources. The food is designed to give families and health conscious eaters a convenient and tasty plant based alternative. While appealing to a wide range of consumer pallets. Our goals this year are to: -Sell products at Farmers Markets all over NM and CO. -Obtain new wholesale and retail accounts through self promotion and tasting. -Advertise in target markets. -Build an online following through active social media accounts. -Community efforts and public relations, through healthy eating initiatives and -promotion of local agriculture. Another one of our main goals at Shrub Life is to collaborate with local school food programs to promote and educate healthy eating habits and benefits of veganism.

Newcastle – The Big Hug Box

2018-05-04T00:00:00Z

My idea for the Big Hug Box came after having being diagnosed with a rare and malignant cancer in 2015, just 3 months after my second daughter Lara was born. Alot of family and friends didn´t know what to say or do so I thought I would create the Big Hug Box to not only help cancer patients, but also their family and friends to feel like they were helping in a difficult time. The Big Hug Box is a brand new charity whose sets out to make cancer patients journeys a little more bearable. Filled with products that are sourced from small business in Newcastle (as much as possible), chosen for being as natural and organic as possible, I have been working really hard to gain momentum which has begun to get wheels in just the last week or so. We also encourage random acts of kindness amongst the community by encouraging everyone to buy what we call a RHoK Box (Random Hug of Kindness Box) whereby for $25 community can by a box that will be delivered and given out at random to a patient at the Chris O´Brien Lifehouse in Sydney (where I received my treatment) And the best part all profits are donated to an organisation called Cure Cancer Australia, funding our youngest and brightest researchers in finding a cure for cancer.

Oakland, CA (Inactive) – Ballet for Black & Brown Bodies

2018-05-03T00:00:00Z

Ballet for Black and Brown Bodies is a class/ workshop series specifically designed to affirm and empower folks of color to explore the technique of ballet. The class features traditional ballet technique taught in a non-traditional manner: set to contemporary tunes, featuring stretching, strengthening, bending, balance, and release in an educational, fun, and supportive environment. The ballet world has historically lacked diversity and to this day many dancers of color still feel very unwelcome. Our aim is to create a safe, welcoming space for new and experienced dancers to engage with the technique and to unpack and move beyond some of the mainstream narratives that persist around how folks of color can and should move their bodies. These workshops are healing experiences where participants get to explore the mental, spiritual, and physical benefits of dance in a space created by and for them. Ballet for Black and Brown Bodies was founded by Alyah Baker in January 2017 in Oakland, CA. Over the last 15 months hundreds of students have participated in open community workshops and the more in depth multi week class series offered in studios throughout Oakland.

San Francisco, CA – NGALAC

2018-05-02T00:00:00Z

NGALAC (short for Noisebridge Gaming Archivists Live Arcade Cabinet) is a classic games arcade-style machine which is to be housed at Noisebridge hackerspace in San Francisco, and brought to various events with the goal of doling out fun to the masses while simultaneously running the world's first and only (to our knowledge) "crowd-sourced videogame live-streaming fundraiser". Players can choose from a curated selection of classic games, originally made for various home consoles and arcade machines, and play said games via the originally intended control interface (e.g. play a Super Nintendo game with a Super Nintendo Joypad). If a player so chooses, they can activate a live-stream, which will broadcast their gameplay, presence, and voice over the internet through a variety of services, such as Twitch or Youtube Live.

Seattle, WA – Jawbone Puppet Theater Wondershow & Museum

2018-05-01T00:00:00Z

Goal: create strange and wonderful, unexpected magic in unsuspecting people’s lives. How: 1. construct a temporary puppet theater and gallery out of repurposed junk—old furniture, bamboo, bicycle parts, rusty saws, creepy dolls, bones and other various precious collected garbage, all lashed together with used bicycle inner tubes, 2. hang the beautiful janky gallery with an impressive display of puppets and masks, also made of recycled materials, and 3. present a schedule of quirky, funny, violent, surreal puppet shows with social justice themes at their core, performed by myself and a 10-year-old kid. Where: I approached the folks at the Punk Rock Flea Market, and they would be happy to have us in December. The Punk Rock Flea Market is an ideal venue because they only charge a $1 entrance fee, and loads of people from all walks of life pass through there, many of whom are not necessarily exposed to this kind of experimental theater or garbage art. I want to create art that can be experienced by everyone, not just fancy theater and museum goers. I want to inspire adults and children alike with the strange recycled installation—the weird and beautiful structure, and loads of puppets, all made of garbage, not to mention the edgy, borderline family friendly material, that respects the intelligence of people of all ages. Performances will be on a regular hourly schedule for 2 days. Featured shows include “The Bucket Rider,” based on the short story by Frank Kafka, “Esoteric Toy Dinosaur Theater,” a retelling of wise American folktales as dino stories, “The Life of San Martin de Porres,” a loving portrait of the saint, dealing with racism and hypocrisy in the Catholic Church, and “The Father of Modern Gynecology,” which tells of James Marion Sims, celebrated for accomplishments developed by experimenting cruelly on slaves. I am excited to share thought provoking material with an eclectic public at a hand-made trash theater in an unexpected venue.

Seattle, WA – College Students for a Day

2018-05-01T00:00:00Z

Unfortunate truth 1: some K-12 students are statistically unlikely to go to college because they're members of an "at risk" demographic: immigrants, English language learners, first in the family to graduate from high-school, etc. Unfortunate truth 2: although many programs exist to help these students visit college campuses, these visits are quite often "canned" and generic. The very students who are at risk often receive impersonal campus tours, and they leave the visits feeling like outsiders. My colleagues and I want to change this. We're professors of education at Northwest University in Kirkland. We have developed a partnership with a local school district that will allow roughly 50 at risk middle school students to Be college students for day. Research tells us that giving at risk students an opportunity to build relationships with "real" college students and to participate in the daily nuts and bolts of college life leads to an increase in students' beliefs that they, too, can succeed in college. This project has three stages: - Day 3: A colleague and I will go to the partner school (Odle Middle School). We will meet the students (who are all demographically "at risk"), teach them about the different types of colleges they could attend, and give them an overview of their upcoming campus visit. We will also work with the students to develop their goals for the visit. - Day 2: The students will come to our campus for the entire school day. They will hang out with undergraduates, have conversations with a panel of professors, participate in a college class, eat in the cafeteria, and go on a college-specific scavenger hunt. They'll be divided in small groups, and each group will be led by an undergraduate education major. - Day 3: We return to the middle school to debrief and evaluate the visit. We work together to identify "next steps" they can take to keep themselves "college bound."

Tallahassee, FL (Inactive) – Neighbor to Neighbor in the Nenes

2018-05-01T00:00:00Z

Seattle, WA – Weird Side Projects - Street Art

2018-05-01T00:00:00Z

I’ve been installing anonymous public street art in Seattle over the past two years, from official-looking street signs with captions like “ATTENTION: You are wonderful and deserve every happiness.” and “NOTICE: I never stopped loving you. I hope you’re well.” to back-to-back crosswalk buttons that say “Push to Remember” and “Push to Forget”. These art pieces designed to blend in the background, and only discovered by those who are paying attention to the city. I’m careful about the tone of the public pieces - sometimes hopeful or bittersweet, but never bitter or angry. I define delight as that intersection of positive and unexpected, and these are something delightful I would want people to stumble across. Since 2016, I've installed over dozens of works all over Seattle (Gas Works Park, Capitol Hill, Volunteer Park, Fremont, Ballard, etc) and a few other places across the US. They’ve slowly been gaining traction in person and online, though I still keep the pieces semi-anonymous. Local press links: https://theevergrey.com/seattle-artist-mysterious-signs-weird-side-projects/ king5.com/entertainment/television/programs/evening/meet-the-seattle-artist-behind-these-mysterious-signs/469007060 My 5-minute Ignite Seattle Talk about the projects: https://youtu.be/2Nn-wjme6Q0

Raleigh, NC (Inactive) – Exquisite Corpse Machine

2018-05-01T00:00:00Z

Join us in breaking the World Record for longest Exquisite Corpse--a community-written poem. Exquisite Corpse is a collaborative poetry game that traces its roots to the Parisian Surrealist Movement. Traditionally, Exquisite Corpse is played by several people, each of whom writes a word on a sheet of paper, folds the paper to conceal it, and passes it on to the next player for their contribution. For the past two SPARKcons, litSPARK has created a digital version of this, where thousands of festival goers can contribute to a community poem much in the same way, but via an old laptop loaded with a Python-based program. Contributors can see only the previous line, then respond to it with a line of their own, and are then prompted to leave their email address if they would like to receive the final poem at the end of the festival.

Seattle, WA – Hrrrl Scouts

2018-05-01T00:00:00Z

Hi! Hrrrl Scouts is a club for feminist malcontents and cool dogs based in Fiarbanks, Alaksa. We launched in February 2017. We promote equity through community activism. We just completed our first quarter and our events have included: intersectional brunch, book clubs, Women's Day rally, Bake Sale, a bike-fix clinic, letter writing campaigns (both letters to the editor and to politicians), and supporting other local organizations. We want to provide a space that is a fun way for people to be involved in community activism, meet other people that are working to improve their community, and promote intersectional feminism. We self-publish a quartlerly zine that discusses aspects of feminism, showcases local art, and highlights members of the community. My friend, Hannah, and I had talked a lot in the past about starting Hrrrl Scouts, but never as a thing we thought we'd actually do. After the election, however, we wanted a way to feel like there was some way we were actively working to effect change for good around us. Apparently others were feeling the same as well, because we have had a much larger response to Hrrrl Scouts than we were anticipating. It's really taken off in the first quarter and has good momentum we can carry forward.

Seattle, WA – Lusio

2018-05-01T00:00:00Z

Lusio. A Night to Awaken is a one night only, free light art event I produce in Volunteer Park. I have multiple light artists install light art throughout the park for people to wander and explore for a few hours after dark. It's magical! Last year was it's debut event and we had 3,000 attending and 10k RSVP's. The entire event was done from a very small budget of 2,000, most of which was out of the pockets of the artists and myself, who is also a struggling artist. http://www.capitolhillseattle.com/2016/07/chs-pics-what-the-lusio-light-art-festival-in-volunteer-park-looked-like/